“There is no question the kids today are softer than kids in the past, in my mind,” O’Leary said. “I think it comes from too much parental babying. I think that’s why it takes kids a little bit longer to play. The game is about contact. You can try to hide it any way you want, but you got to hit people whether you blocking or tackling.

“I always talk about contact speed,” O’Leary continued. “Even when you watch the NFL, a lot of those guys run 4.5 but they hit you at 4.9. You can’t win with those guys. All you got to do when you’re watching TV is watch the back leg, whether they’re blocking or tackling, and see if it comes through. You can’t play that way.”

O’Leary also complained about his inability to conduct two-a-day practices, saying he only has 29 practice opportunities, and even if he could do two-a-days, his current players “would have struggled making it.”

The comments by O’Leary were met with swift criticism. O’Leary has previously been mentioned in the wrongful death suit in relation to the passing of Ereck Plancher, a wide receiver who died after a UCF spring practice in 2008. Plancher suffered from a sickle cell trait, which the coaching staff knew about.

The University of Central Florida Athletics Association was found guilty of negligence in the lawsuit, which was brought on by the family of Plancher, and ordered to pay $5 million. O’Leary remained on as head coach, a position he holds to this day.

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